THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2525, 6 August 1902, Page 49

THE KENNEL.

Br Teekor.

ti ikute items to iMi^ohaiui. " Terroi ' «ill endi-a\i>ur to wake tal.i drpmmcnt a« Intercitioe aud up-to d»tr »s potigiblc. but Id

— T learn from Mr Trail 1, of Stewart Island, that he is having great success with his fiibwiane. By careful selection he is gradually approaching the required standard, aud expects before long to breed out altogether the alien blood present in the dogs first left in his oare. The almost fa-ultlete dogs recently disposed of in Invercargill and Dunodin are highly praised as good, useful companions.

— Gruninen must be cartful to whom they entrust their dogs to be tatrght field work. Owing to some misapprehension (it is said, but i« not believed) on the part of a friend to whom a leading barrister sent his dog to he trained, a somewhat singular contretemps occurred ■vrhe-n the dog at the fag end of this season was biought out by his owner to be tried before some shooting men. The ''og had been taught to answer the orders incidental to field work. t»nt owing to the Hiieelupf wrought by King Misrule the ■answers were not in accord with custom. F«r, in reply to a sign by hand, tlie dog commenced to ■"quarter" his grouad by talking on In* hied legs. When sworn a,t (as i^ usual) ilie <log reversed lur position and toddled along on his forefeet. Then, to make maiierw worf>e. tlie d-ng sat up and begged, seized his own tail and whirled round like a dancing dervish. The owner is seeking to sell his dog to a cirrus proprietor, and seeking for his friend with the Christian inteiit'on of breaking a billiard cue across his head.

— Referring to the Ladie*,' K<-nni>l Show. Our Doga «ay*i : -Perhaps the most interesting foatuie of tho second day's events, from a spectacular point nf view, was the fancy dr&as parade of doga represent in^c their respeitue nationalities. The St. Bernard was accompanied by a typically attired monk 1 from the Hoapice. for !n-staiicr>, an ideal Irish peasant leading round an Iri«h •etter. The most striking repj-e»eiitntion was that provided by Mise Senia. dtpirting the turnout of a Japanese noblf A fair Mikado, accompanied by Mik Mikado, the "w ell-known Jap, was followed by a jmrk-k sha tontainrng a. Japanese- lady of title, accompanied by her dauifhtei. a couple of

"sleeve" doga, and attended by male her rants. A curious get-up wat that of ilis-j Fairmau, the artist, who depirtetl a Clrineso notable, with pigtail and hirsute wooden shoes, and all complete She — or he, rather— was acfompamed by a couple of Pekinese spaniels — Quit© recently two young lads vieited a. dog show, and were noticed standing at a certain stall which contained a very fine specimen of Sks-e terrier. It po-»e?sed *uch an abundance of hair as to give ;t more the appearance of a small doormat than that of a member of tlie canine uo-e. The boys were obviously deeply interested ; nevertheless, their countenances betokened that they were puzzled flbout something. "Bill," exclaimed one. "%vhirh be 'is "cad. an* which be 'is tail?'' "Bothe-rd if I knows," was the deliberate reply; '"it be a rog'lar puzzler R'poie wo prick 'im with this 'ere pin and soe which end "c

— That one man* loss is often another man's gain was impressed on the writer a contributor to atv exchange) the other night, when his attention was attracted by a remarkably iutelligent-looking Irish setter, held by an old grey- bearded man, who was also guarding a small sack. "TTes, he is a fine dog," lie said, as though I had asked the question. "Wonderfully intelligent, and will retrieve from water -mid out of deep mud as well <t» from a smooth lawn. I call him Links, on account of the special work I have trained him to do. If I let him loose within a mile of » ball and -say 'Fetch it' he will fetch it as sure as "unrise. 1 have just liad him over on the island, where he has been working for two hours, and I have 11 golf balls in my little sack here. They are all sorts, but will likely bring me two or three shillings. A fair evening's work. TJnks don't need the light for his work, but depends on. liis wirLiderful nose. We wait until it is too ds.rk for tl*e game arrd the links are de-s-erted, when we begin operations. He starts on a trot and rovers the long grass, rough places, streams, and mud holes first, and seldom goes far without finding a ball. When he finds one he brings it to me and Marts off again. He thinks it is fine Sport, and i? as happy as can bo when he finds a ball. He know? all th& links nrouad liftre as well as do "the players who are- oa thean every day. and he knows where most of the bails ar» Som on each one of tlieni. Those are always the spots he- deaas up •firsi. When links are guarded too^ jdb^ely for evening work w-o are up at suniise, and seldom find any interruption at that thne."